India-U.K. FTA could be ready by Diwali, says Piyush Goyal
The HinduThe way things are progressing between the two negotiating teams, a free trade agreement between India and the United Kingdom could be ready by Diwali without the need for an interim early harvest agreement, said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during a visit to the U.K. Asked about the points of contention in the path of such a tight timeline, Mr. Goyal said: “Our approach is that we are very honest and upfront in our constraints, yet willing to be sensitive to the concerns of the other country.” The Minister went on to highlight the "relentless work, study, focus and engagement with stakeholders" that is required in the entire process towards an FTA. Earlier on Thursday, the Minister said he held “productive discussions” on carrying forward the ongoing FTA negotiations to further boost the India-UK trade and investment partnership during talks with his UK counterpart, Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan. “We discussed progress of ongoing trade talks; opportunities to unlock the full potential of our trade and commercial relationship already worth over 24 billion pounds; and opening new markets for businesses in both the UK and India,” said Mr. Trevelyan.